Jason Licht Likes Todd Bowles’ Communication
March 1st, 2023
Lauds Todd Bowles.
There is a reason why NFL teams spend roughly half a million dollars a year, often more, on a media relations staff. It’s to have public relations professionals craft messages.
It’s also why executives/coaches/players often offer bland, cliché-ridden responses to questions. Their answers are varnished if not rehearsed. So yesterday when Bucs AC/DC-loving Bucs general manager Jason Licht lauded Bucs coach Todd Bowles for his “communication” skills, Joe had to chuckle to himself. The cover of “communication” recalled for Joe one of the most outrageous Bucs stories.
Back in the halcyon Mike Smith era of the Bucs, defensive backs, specifically fan favorite Chris Conte along with Ryan Smith, regularly were roasted like a ribeye on a grill and smothered with an herb Irish butter sauce.
When asked why these guys and others were torched play-after-play, game-after-game, Smith always shrugged his shoulders and declared it was about “communication.”
Well, he wasn’t exactly lying.
Joe later learned Bucs defenders sometimes couldn’t understand the young linebacker in the huddle who was charged with barking the plays. So when the huddle broke, several defenders had no idea what play was called. They had to guess.
Naturally, this led to dudes freelancing and fans subsequently watching defensive backs running for their lives chasing ball carriers in the open field.
Lost in the explanation Joe heard was if guys couldn’t understand the linebacker calling plays — you know, communication — then why the hell didn’t Smith have someone call the plays that could speak clearly?
And folks wonder why the Bucs in the pre-Bucco Bruce Arians’ days were so miserable on defense!
Anyway, here is Licht yesterday discussing Bowles’ best attribute.
“Well, he’s got a lot of great attributes,” Licht said. “I would say his communication is great, especially between he and his players but then himself and me. So, we can talk about anything at any time and have hard discussions at any time.”
Perhaps Bowles has been communicating with Licht about the need to find a pass rusher?
March 1st, 2023 at 2:25 pm
We can only hope.
March 1st, 2023 at 2:40 pm
Sure Mike, let’s have Kwon Alexander call plays in the huddle instead of Lavontae David….smh Mike Smith still grinds my gears too. What a joke
March 1st, 2023 at 2:42 pm
Pass rusher, QB, RB, DT, OG. Possibly LT.
Mainly, they need money- which means alot of our players get cut or traded.
Its gonna be tough season
March 1st, 2023 at 2:52 pm
Okey dokey, we’ve established communication during the dark times was as bad as the Iraqi Navy during desert storm. That doesn’t make this outfit great communicators. Am I missing something here?
March 1st, 2023 at 3:06 pm
OK now you got me curious Joe. Conte was with us for 3 years (2015-2017). Ryan Smith didn’t join us until 2016. The MLB all 3 years was Kwon Alexander (normally the play-caller) & the other possibility for calling the plays was Lavonte David. So it was either Kwon or LVD who Conte & Smith couldn’t understand. But since you wrote the ‘young linebacker’ was the one they couldn’t understand, I assume it was Kwon you were talking about.
Of course that brings up the questions for Mike Smith: ‘If you knew this was going on, why did you accept it? Why not just let LVD call the plays to prevent such miscommunication?’
March 1st, 2023 at 3:20 pm
Kwon was 100% indecipherable gibberish. Maybe they should have been coaching him on enunciation.
March 1st, 2023 at 3:31 pm
Bucs get an F grade from players for travel. 1 of 6 teams that make players share rooms for away games. 1 of 8 teams that don not offer first class seats on flights. Big dudes in little seats. What a bunch of cheapskates. I mean how much $$ is that really saving for 8-9 away games? I doubt that’s worth making travel miserable for players.
March 1st, 2023 at 3:34 pm
Pretty sure Licht and Bowles are on the same page re: pass rushers. Licht can see the roster. Right now, looking at the roster, you’ve got exactly 0 guys at OLB that aren’t question marks. JTS, needs to take it up a few notches, Shaq is expensive and questionable due to the achilles, and Nelson is a FA.
Maybe Cam Gill will come back and continue to grow his game. He looked like a guy who could make some plays before he went down.
March 1st, 2023 at 3:36 pm
@Bucamania,
How is that pertinent to this topic? Also, where do you get your information?
March 1st, 2023 at 3:41 pm
@Sasquatch
The NFLPA released report cards for all 32 teams
March 1st, 2023 at 4:39 pm
Wrong (Joe has been on a team flight before). Absolutely wrong.
March 1st, 2023 at 5:03 pm
We have one starting cornerback one starting safety one starting outside linebacker/edge rusher one starting middle linebacker( KJ Britt?) Two starting defensive line. The other side one quarterback two running backs two/three tight ends that’s at least 9 positions plus whomever gets released/traded. Pick your poison!
March 1st, 2023 at 5:12 pm
Here come The Friendly Bucs.
March 1st, 2023 at 5:17 pm
We are now in Culverhouse Territory.
March 1st, 2023 at 5:17 pm
I heard he plays well with others too
LOL
March 1st, 2023 at 9:28 pm
Bowles a great communicator ? LOL
We heard last season he uses sarcasm to call out players who loafed or botched plays. Right, that’s good communication.
If that’s what Licht is choosing to praise we our in trouble with Toilet Bowl.
March 2nd, 2023 at 2:00 am
Have LVD call the plays. Diva is unintelligible when hyped up.
March 2nd, 2023 at 6:42 am
Some of us should read the articles before commenting.